John Wooden to Speak April 5

Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden will speak on leadership and answer questions during an appearance at Occidental College’s Thorne Hall on April 5. Doors will open at 11:45 a.m.

Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking on campus is extremely limited. After his talk, Wooden will sign copies of his books in the Thorne lobby. They will be available for purchase at the event.

Occidental is located at 1600 Campus Road in Eagle Rock. For a map and directions to the college, click here.

Wooden was head coach at UCLA from 1948 to 1975, a span in which he led the Bruins to 10 NCAA championships, including an unprecedented seven straight titles from 1967 to 1973. His teams also hold the record for most consecutive victories – 88 (set between 1971 and 1973). Wooden retired with a record of 885-203, an .813 winning percentage that is unequaled among college basketball coaches.

An Indiana native, Wooden won letters in basketball and baseball as a freshman at Purdue University. He went on to win All-American honors as a basketball guard from 1930-32. He captained Purdue’s great teams in 1931 and 1932 and led the team to two Big 10 titles and the 1932 National Collegiate Championship. He is the only player to be inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.

Wooden is as much esteemed off the court as he was on it. His “Pyramid of Success” and inspirational philosophies on the art of patience and friendship, honesty and endurance, speak as much to professionals and laymen as they do athletes.

In 2003, Wooden was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House, the highest American civilian honor given.

His appearance is a joint First Tuesday/Founders’ Day event. First Tuesday, sponsored by the Office of Student Life, is a chance for the Occidental community to come together for shared intellectual and cultural events during the first Tuesday of each month.